Kukla's Korner Hockey

Committing almost $200-million to two players is a lot of money to spend just so the Wild can evolve into “a pretty good team.” On the other hand, after years without an identity, the Wild are finally going to attract a little attention. Just how much will largely depend on how long it takes to go from pretty good to great.

-Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail where you can read more on the Wild.

Comments

Minnesota was 14 points out of a playoff spot last year. In today’s NHL, all you really need to do is make the playoffs and then hope you have a hot goalie and some skaters contributing offensively.

That said, according to recent reports posted here Minny claims they weren’t making money with a 55.8 mil payroll and attendance over 98% of capacity. Next year their payroll is going to be at least 10 million bucks more, more likely 13, and possibly 15.

That means unless they make the playoffs and go deep they are in line to lose big bucks. The kind of 5-10+ mil a year loss isn’t something which a team is going to bear for long, so if the team isn’t breaking even (as in, going deep int he playoffs every year) within 2-3 years we’re going to see them turn into Tampa Bay North (circa 2007) and just have Parise, Koivu, Suter, Backstrom, and crap.

Too much salary in too few players. The NBA model is not sustainable in the NHL. What happens in 3-4 years and the team is still bleeding money?

Posted by
yreland
from Hockey's black hole South Carolina on 07/04/12 at 10:47 PM ET

That said, according to recent reports posted here Minny claims they weren’t making money with a 55.8 mil payroll and attendance over 98% of capacity. Next year their payroll is going to be at least 10 million bucks more, more likely 13, and possibly 15.

That means unless they make the playoffs and go deep they are in line to lose big bucks. The kind of 5-10+ mil a year loss isn’t something which a team is going to bear for long, so if the team isn’t breaking even (as in, going deep int he playoffs every year) within 2-3 years we’re going to see them turn into Tampa Bay North (circa 2007) and just have Parise, Koivu, Suter, Backstrom, and crap.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 07/04/12 at 08:40 PM ET

MIN debt/value: 53%

Wings debt/value: 0%

Posted by
SYF
from the C7.R, flyin' low and feelin' mean on 07/04/12 at 10:53 PM ET

Yeah, it’ll be “funny” when Leipold sides with the Jacobs/Bettman faction of owners and push to get salaries rolled back again. It’ll be even “funnier” if they succeed. Then we’ll all really understand why Leipold was so giddy. Not just because he got two real good players, but because he pulled the wool over their eyes and got them for less than it appeared.